I am always empowered by seeing a group of people come together to engage in learning about how they can make a positive impact on the lives of others. The NYU #SHEro event was a prime example of students making sacrifices to partake in an important movement. NYU athletes came together to learn about SHE and the importance of female menstrual protection.

Periods are not always comfortable ­­to talk about or experience­­ but we all came to understand from this event that affording proper protection for girls and women when they have their periods is fundamental to creating a more equitable world. I was shocked to learn that even in the United States women face a luxury tax on pads and the products are not included in SNAP benefits.

The message from SHE resonated deeply with NYU athletes. We were able to share a space together in which we practiced yoga and then developed a deeper awareness of the issue. By awaking our bodies, alongside our minds, we were able to more fully capture the necessity of changing the status quo when it comes to menstrual protection.

#climbforSHE team member Eva Johnston on Mt. Kilimanjaro with a pack of go! pads.

Our #climbforSHE team is back from scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro and raised $51,615 dollars! Read about her life-changing experience:

Eva, one of our esteemed SHE climbers recounts her experience climbing Mount Kilimanjaro:

My attempt to sum our trip up…magical to the point of being miraculous! SENE was an incredible expedition company, our SHE climbing team consisted of rock star climbers and every single woman on the trip was and continues to be an inspiration to me! Our circumstances couldn’t have worked out any better. The weather was as close to perfect as one could hope for. Additionally, noting that our ages ranged from 17 to 71, some with zero climbing or camping skills (me and my daughter included), others with zero training we ALL reached the summit safely and with smiles on our faces! I feel so lucky and blessed to have been a part of this group of women.

To Bella—our brilliant, compassionate, motivated climb leader and the other equally inspiring young climbers, Mia, Beatrice and Chloë, you all give me such hope for the future and I want to thank you for being such positive role models for my daughter while we climbed the mountain. To Sara, Joanne, Connie and Gayle—I was truly lucky to be up there breathing the same air as you ladies! I am in awe of your strength, motivation, and passion for SHE, for helping other women across our planet and your commitment to leaving this planet better than we found it.

As anticipated, I am feeling a post-climb, post-adrenaline rush sadness acknowledging that this amazing experience has come to an end. I’m certain I will be dreaming of the pure, cold air I was breathing on Mount Kilimanjaro, the stars that looked like I could reach out and touch, the sound of our awesome guides waking us up to check vitals each morning and the hot cup of coffee I knew was on its way from our always smiling team of SENE porters and the views from my tent every morning. As amazing as pictures are, they simply cannot capture the magic of the moment that is experienced and taken in by the human eye!

Bella Wiener, a high school senior at Bend High School in Bend, OR, is preparing to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in June 2015 to spark awareness for one of the most overlooked, but persistent taboos, that is holding back millions of girls across the world: menstruation.

Bella decided on doing a charity climb for SHE while participating in Brown University’s summer leadership program. I came across SHE and fell in love with the work and ideas. I appreciate how SHE isn’t just providing temporary aid, but rather creating entrepreneurs and creating a much more sustainable solution to the problems that women in sub-Saharan Africa face when trying to receive equal education opportunities.”

Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is nothing new to this 17-year-old. When Bella was in the 5th grade, her mother organized a charity climb up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money to build an orphanage in Kenya. “I was fortunate enough to travel to Tanzania and climb part way up Mount Kilimanjaro before I had to return to the base because of my young age. Ever since this incredible experience, I have had the desire to return to Kilimanjaro and summit it,” shares Bella.

Bella reached out to SHE about her plans, and our Chief Instigating Officer Elizabeth Scharpf expressed immediate interest in helping Bella achieve her goals.

“Bella is a smart and passionate young person who is a great example of how one person can make a difference. I am so glad she took initiative to increase the awareness, reach, and impact of what we do. $50,000 will help us triple our pad production capacity from 500/pads a day to 1,500 pads/day in Rwanda. Bella’s climb will also allow us to expand and scale globally with our patented technology.”

The official kick-off of Bella’s charity climb took place on October 9th at the Patagonia store. SHE’s Founder and Chief Instigating Officer Elizabeth Scharpf joined Bella at the event.

The Kilimanjaro SHE Climb is a team effort and Bella invites anyone to support her fundraising effort. “The best ways you can support the Kilimanjaro SHE Climb are to join our climb team, donate to me or one of my climbers, or tell your friends about SHE and its mission.”